Former Beauty and the Geek contestant pleads not guilty to murder
A former Beauty and the Geek contestant accused of murdering her partner has denied the allegation and has flagged a potential mental health defence, a court hears.
Tamika Chesser, a former contestant on the reality TV show Beauty and the Geek, entered not guilty pleas on Monday to charges of murdering her partner, Julian Story, and destroying his remains to pervert the course of justice. The 35-year-old appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, where her lawyer informed the court of ongoing investigations into her mental competence.
Mr. Story's dismembered body was discovered in the couple's unit in Port Lincoln, South Australia, in June of the previous year. The discovery came after emergency services responded to a report of a fire. Chesser's head was found separately in July and identified as belonging to Mr. Story in September.
Since her arrest, Chesser has been held at a secure forensic mental health facility, James Nash House. She will next appear in the Supreme Court for arraignment later this year. Chesser's defense team has indicated they may argue mental health issues during the trial.
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